He took another sip. “You’re right. Raven will be a wreck if I get drunk tonight.”
“You have to do it for yourself.”
“I know. But she helps. And so do you. That’s why I stayed here. If I’d gone back to Dad’s house, I knew I’d drink again. And my dealer lives up there.”
“You can do this,” Ellis said. “I know you can.”
He guzzled more of the kombucha. “Can I say something that’s totally out of character?”
“Sure.”
“I’m really glad you and my sister are in my life again.”
“Can I hug you while you’re out of character?”
“Okay. But hurry before the real me comes back.”
She hugged him and kissed his cheek. Sixteen years since he’d let her. She was having a record day for kisses.
Jasper leaned his head out the front door. “Raven wants to say something to all of us.”
“Coming,” Ellis said.
“She must have decided what she’s doing with the baby,” River said.
“I suppose so.”
“I want her to keep it,” he said.
“I hope you haven’t told her that.”
“I haven’t. I know it’s her decision. But I don’t want my first niece or nephew living with some stranger.”
“We need to support whatever she’s decided.”
“Yeah, I will.”
They went inside. Raven was standing between the Christmas tree and fireplace. Everyone was seated on chairs and the couch facing her. Ryan moved over so Ellis could sit between him and Keith.
Raven said, “Having all the people I love in one room is the best thing that’s ever happened in my life.” She went silent, wiped her eyes. “Sorry . . . pregnancy hormones,” she said, and everyone laughed.
“I have two things I want to say.” She looked at Reece. “I want to say them now because Reece can only be here for a few days. He has two jobs, and one of his bosses said he’d be fired if he doesn’t get back on the twenty-sixth.”
“The day after Christmas?” Jasper said.
River said, “That sucks.”
“First is something that Jackie says will be difficult for him.”
Ellis wondered about the playful way they were looking at each other.
“I’ve decided I want to be called by my legal name, Viola Abbey Bauhammer, from now on.”
Ellis hadn’t expected that. Keith clasped her hand.
Raven—Viola—continued. “I honestly don’t like what the name Bauhammer stands for in the world—because of my grandfather—but I hope the rest of us Bauhammers can change that.”
“We will,” Jasper said.
Jonah’s eyes shined.
Viola looked at Ellis. “It will be hard for me to get used to Viola,” she said. “But I want to—to honor my mother.”
Ellis and her daughter locked gazes, a powerful exchange that seemed to transcend their sixteen years apart. As if Viola had always been right there with her.
“My mother has been dedicated to the conservation of plants since she majored in botany in college,” Viola said. “She named me for the genus of violets, one of her favorite spring flowers. Jackie wants to be an ecologist—maybe even a botanist—and he says the name Viola is as cool as Raven.”
“Can I still call you Bird Girl?” Reece asked.
“You’d better,” she said, eliciting laughter around the room.
“The other thing I wanted to talk about is my house in Washington. I now own it. I also own the cabin in Montana where I spent my summers. All of you are welcome to use my houses. I know these places brought pain to many of you, and now I hope they’ll bring you joy.”
“Thank you,” Jonah said. “That’s a beautiful idea.”
Again, Viola looked at Reece. “But if you want to stay in my house in Washington, you’ll have to arrange it with Reece.”
“With me? Why?” Reece said.
“Because I’m hiring you to be the caretaker of the house.” She lifted an envelope off the fireplace mantel and handed it to him. “Your payment for the first year is in this envelope.”
“A year?” he said.
“Yes, open it.”
Reece slid a check out of the envelope. “No way. I can’t take this.”
“You aren’t taking it,” she said. “You’re working for it.”
“Doing what?”
“I’ve decided to stay in Florida for a while, and I need someone to take care of the house. I trust you, and you’re really good at fixing things. You’re the perfect person.”
“Live there?” he said.
“Live there, but only until you get into college to study writing like you always wanted. I know you want to go to the school in Seattle where Huck goes. When that happens, you can drive down to the house once a month to check on it. You can use Audrey’s truck to do that, by the way. It will basically be yours.”
Reece gaped at her.
“Have you ever seen him speechless?” she asked Jackie.
“Never,” he said.
“Raven . . . ,” Reece said.
“Viola,” she corrected.
“This is way too much money for a year of doing what you said.”
“It’s what I think the job is worth. It’ll cover tuition and dorm for a year at the University of Washington.”
“You can’t just give me this much money.”
“Yes I can. I’m ridiculously rich, and rich people do things like this.”
Everyone laughed.
“It’s true, Reece,” Jonah said. “Some of my wealthy clients have done much stranger things with their money.”
“Like what?”
“Like bequeath a million to maintain their pets’ graves to the end of time.”
“Wow,” Reece said.
“I think Viola’s use of money is a bit more practical than that, don’t you?”
“Yeah, but—”
“Do you want me to hire someone else?” she asked.
“No. Get over here.” Reece engulfed Viola in his arms.
“Woo-hoo!” Huck cheered, jumping up with his arms in the air. “Party at Reece’s house!”
“No parties!” Viola said.
Jackie and Huck laughed and grabbed Reece. Their mother was next. Jonah embraced Viola and spoke quietly to her.
“That’s quite a girl you’ve got there,” Ryan said.
“I know,” Ellis said, wiping her eyes.
She realized Max didn’t know what was going on. She took out her pad of paper and wrote a summary of everything Viola had said.
She’s a blessing, Max wrote.
Ellis nodded.
She didn’t say anything about the baby.
Maybe still undecided.
That baby’s coming any
